The Skeptics Society & Skeptic magazine

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Episode Notes for Nature’s Rich Bounty

Dr. Todd Disotell & Natalia Reagan

IF BIGFOOT IS REAL, would a $10,000,000 bounty be enough to bring the beast down? That’s the premise of a new show on Spike TV. In this episode, MonsterTalk interviews two of the scientists who are working on the show to find out if this is a serious search for Bigfoot, or just folks out in the woods raising cane.

Natalia Reagan is an anthropologist, comedian, writer, actress and a co-host of the Ten Million Dollar Bigfoot Bounty. Her academic work has focused on spider monkeys, primate conservation, and evolutionary biology. She combines her wit and creativity with her passion for science advocacy to help make educational videos. As an actress, she’s appeared on shows such as My Name is Earl and Better Off Ted—and as a science consultant on The Today Show and Fox Edge News. This is her first appearance on MonsterTalk.

The Top Ten Strangest Beliefs

Who believes them? Why? How can you tell if they’re true?

What is a conspiracy theory, why do people believe in them, and why do they tend to proliferate? Why does belief in one conspiracy correlate to belief in others? What are the triggers of belief, and how does group identity factor into it? How can one tell the difference between a true conspiracy and a false one?

The Science Behind Why People See Ghosts

Do you know someone who has had a mind altering experience? If so, you know how compelling they can be. They are one of the foundations of widespread belief in the paranormal. But as skeptics are well aware, accepting them as reality can be dangerous…